How Are You Doing Buying Books for the Holidays?

Most of my shopping these days has been of the online variety -- with baby in one arm while I type away with the other hand -- but I did manage to get out this weekend and picked up some books for the family, including the following:
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg -- for my son who got over his fear of Santa this year at a Polar Express themed Santa photo exhibit
Judy Moody by Megan McDonald -- for the 8-year-old niece
The Clicque by Lisi Harrison -- for the 11-year-old niece
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell -- for my Dad (oops, hope he isn't reading this!)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling -- can't say for who, but she knows who she is...

On the Author's Guild website Roy Blount, Jr. offers his argument for buying books this holiday season. Couldn't have said it better myself, so read on, and BUY BOOKS!

"We don't want bookstores to die. Authors need them, and so do neighborhoods. So let's mount a book-buying splurge. Get your friends together, go to your local bookstore and have a book-buying party. Buy the rest of your Christmas presents, but that's just for starters. Clear out the mysteries, wrap up the histories, beam up the science fiction! Round up the westerns, go crazy for self-help, say yes to the university press books! Get a load of those coffee-table books, fatten up on slim volumes of verse, and take a chance on romance! There will be birthdays in the next twelve months; books keep well; they're easy to wrap: buy those books now. Buy replacements for any books looking raggedy on your shelves. Stockpile children's books as gifts for friends who look like they may eventually give birth. Hold off on the flat-screen TV and the GPS (they'll be cheaper after Christmas) and buy many, many books."

Comments

[Becky]

This is your sister--is "Beedle" for me??? Yippee!!

[Ti]

I've been buying books as gifts but everytime I go in I buy something for myself too. In the past week I have picked up the following:

Twilight
Holidays On Ice
Corduroy's Christmas Surprise
Coraline
The Mermaid's Treasure (flap book)
Frank Lloyd Wright (mini book)

There are a few more but I can't remember the titles. One of these years I want to do ALL of my shopping at the bookstore. Wouldn't that be fun?

[Dawn - She Is Too Fond Of Books]

I have to laugh along at Ti's comment, "one for them, one for me, one for them, one for me" ... great way to shop! :)

I'm doing well with my challenge to buy books for the holidays. I'll finish up tomorrow with bookstore gift cards for those who I have yet to select a specific title.

I love that Blount essay - the truth with a smile!

[feener]

i did borders gift certificates for my daughter's teachers. books for a nephew, books for 2 family friends, and another gift certificate for my dad. oh and i bought 2 copies of mommy's high heel shoes for nieces.....it is a great book about MOMS !!

[Holley]

I made my first foray today and found nearly everything I wanted...I just ran out of time. I'll go back again and get a few more things. I was so surprised at the difference of paying money for books rather than for useless crap. It didn't even hurt :)
Today I picked up the Bolt movie tie in, an Ironman graphic novel, Dragonsong, Dragondrums, The Hero and the Crown, Water for Elephants, Hawke, a George R.R. Martin book (not in the Ice and Fire series), and books on ballet, gymnastics and animal babies. It was a stellar trip to the bookstore if I do say so myself! Thanks for the inspiration!

[Jena]

I feel horrible, but I can't buy the books I want to. My credit card has made it a miserable experience to pay it off from Canada (not to mention the exchange rate), so I'm trying not to buy anything online, and I have to ship all my presents from BC to Ohio and NC, so the lighter the better. and books--well, you know how quickly those get heavy. I'm trying to throw in a few, but gracious, it doesn't take much.